A true treasure in Highland Park is the grand old pecan tree on Armstrong Parkway at Preston Road. This mammoth tree is approximately 75 feet wide by 75 feet tall and is over 140 years old.

History
In 1843, Dr. John Cole of Virginia and the first physician of Dallas County, acquired 410 acres as a headright
from the Republic of Texas. He began buying additional acreage that
included the area that would become Highland Park and part of University
Park.

The pecan tree was discovered by Cole's son Joseph Cole while planting corn, when he unknowingly plowed over a small pecan tree. The story goes that Joseph Cole, having come home from the Civil War witnessing so much destruction and killing, staked the tree up to protect it, and hand-watered the pecan tree as a testament to life. In 1888, Joseph Cole, sold 294.9 acres to the Philadelphia Place Land Association, with the understanding that the purchaser would continue to protect the tree. The land on which the pecan tree stands was acquired by John S. Armstrong in 1908, for $21 per acre.

When developing the town years later, it is reported that Hugh Prather,
Sr. was offered a million dollars for a lot that would include the pecan
tree. His sons-in-law, Edgar Flippin and Hugh Prather, hired the noted city
planner George E. Kessler to design a parkway to protect the tree and provide it with a place of honor at the entrance of town

And because of the story, it became known as the "Million Dollar Monarch. The first lighting of the pecan tree occurred during the Christmas
holidays in 1927 by Flippen-Prather Realty. The tree has been adorned
with lights every holiday season since, except during World War II and
during the 1973 energy crisis. The lighting of the tree is recognized
as the oldest community tree lighting tradition in Dallas County.

Christmas Tree Lighting CeremonyThe first lighting of the tree occurred during the Christmas holiday season was by Flippin-Prather Realty in 1927 to promote their new development, Highland Park West. The tree has been adorned with lights every holiday season since, except during World War II. and during the 1973 energy crisis. The lighting of the tree is recognized as the oldest community Christmas tree lighting tradition in Dallas County. The tree requires four men and almost one week to decorate with over 5,000 red, blue, orange, and green Christmas lights.

The Event
The Town of Highland Park will hold the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony for the “Big Pecan Tree” on Armstrong Parkway, just west of Preston Road, on the first Thursday of December.

Million Dollar Monarch
You can view KERA, executive producer Rob Tranchin's Emmy Award-winning short story on the tree titled Million Dollar Monarch: